Electric car-lighting apparatus



(No Model.)

B. J. JONES. ELECTRIC GAR LIGHTING APPARATUS.

No. 451,732. Patented May 5,1891.

INVENTOR:

ATTEsT:

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BUDD J. JONES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC CAR-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,732, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed ()otoher 7, 1890. Serial No. 367658. (No model.)

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, BUDD J. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gar-Lighting Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of lighting apparatus for street-cars in which electricity from any suitable source is employed for lighting or illuminating the main or interior car-lamps, the platform-lamps, and the head-1i ght lamp of electric-motor cars, and the like the objects of the present improvement being, first, to provide a simple and effective arrangement of the electric circuit between the different lamps arranged in series, so that when the head-light is placed in position it will automatically switch out the platformlamp at such end of the car and take the place of the same in the electric circuit, thus dispensing with the use of the independent switches heretofore used for each platformlamp; second, to provide an improved socket and electric switch-connections for the head-light, embodying the features of an automatic switch or break for the electric-lamp circuit during the non-use of the lamps, thus dispensing with the independent switch or break for the lamp-circuit heretofore in use in this class of electric car-lighting apparatus.

I attain such objects by the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a streetcar illustrating the application of my improved lighting apparatus; Fig. 2, a diagram view of the same 5 and Fig. 3, an enlarged detail section of the head-light socket, with the switch-plug in position to break the electric current to the car-lamps when the same are not required for use.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the interior car-lamps, arranged in a cluster or otherwise, as found most desirable, and 2 and a cavity or vertical opening to receive the shank 8 of the electric head-light 9. These socket-pieces are formed of any suitable nonconducting material, preferably hard wood, and are provided with spring contact-plates 10, 11, and 12, having circuit connections as follows: The vertically-arranged spring-plates 10 and 11 in each of the socket-pieces (5 and 7 are arranged in the main electric circuit formed by the conductors a and 5 and the branch or sections 13 of the same that extend from the contact-plates 10 to. the platform-lamps 2 and 3. These springplates will be in contact when the head-light is not in place, as shown to the left in Fig. 2, and the platform-lamp will consequently be in the electric circuit.

hen the head-light is placed in position, its shank S will force the contact-plates 10 and 11 apart, breaking the main circuit and establishing a circuit, including thehead-light lamp, through the insulated contact-plates 1a and 15 on said shank, that connect electrically with the lamp by conductors, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. At the same time the spring-plate 10 will be forced into contact with the plate 12, that connects with a supplementary wire or conductor 16, which connects with the main circuit at a point past the platform lamp. By this means when the head-light is inserted in place it will automatically cut out the platform-lamp at the end of the car where said head-light is inserted, and in consequence the resistance on the lamp-circuit will be at all times the same, with no liability of the circuit being at any time broken, with the consequent extinguishment of the lamps, which has been a serious objection to former methods hereinbefore employed.

hen the lamp'circuit is not required for oar-lighting purposes, my improved headlight socket-piece near the positive end of the electric-lamp circuit affords a ready and cffective circuit breaker or switch for said lamp-circuit, a wedge 17 of non-conducting material being pushed between the contactplates 10 and 11 to separate the same and 5 break the circuit, as clearly illustrated in the electric circuit, of the supplementary 2o conductor 16, the head-light socket-piece having contact-plates 10, 11, and 12, and theheadlight having a plug adapted to enter said socket, substantially as herein described.

2. In an apparatus for lighting ears, the combination, with the main lighting conduetors embracing the car-lamps in series in the electric circuit, of the supplementary conductor 16, the head-light socket-piece having contact-plates 10, 11, and 12, and the non-conducting eircuit break-plug 17, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I ai'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BUDD J. JONES.

Witnesses:

ROBERT BURNS, GEO. II. ARTHUR. 

